


Crash and Burn

by starlightkm77



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Burns, Fire, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Keith (Voltron) has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Keith (Voltron)-centric, Keith has burns, i whipped this up in 15 minutes pls don't attack me, idk how to tag y'all im srry, kangst, keith has scars, klance, team bonding session, yes i updated the tags yw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:28:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28474686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightkm77/pseuds/starlightkm77
Summary: All attention turned to Keith and he squirmed under everyone’s gazes. He took a deep breath. He could lie. He could say that he was overjoyed when he connected to Red, that he adored the fiery heat that came from her. But some voice in the back of his mind told him that if he wanted to gain any trust from his teammates, he had to tell the truth.“Uh, well,” Keith cleared his throat and wrung his hands. “When Allura told me that Red’s element was fire, I was...disappointed, I guess you could say? Kinda mad, too. ‘Cause I...um... I don’t like fire.”orThe paladins have another team bonding session that goes very wrong when Keith reveals a dark secret.
Relationships: Keith & Voltron Paladins, Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 75





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, y'all! Here's another story! Basically, bring on the Kangst! Please don't hurt me :D Like in the tags I wrote this in like 15 minutes so it's probably really bad, so I might edit it later. Please, please tell me what you think in the comments! Also, thank you so much for all the love on my first story, Wish I Were Allura! Go check it out if you haven't already! (and to zukkaismylifehi, I might not be making a new part for that story just because of lack of motivation, but thanks for the sweet comment!). And before y'all kill me for talking so much, can anyone PLEASE recommend any good Kangst fics? I feel like there's a lot of Langst, and don't get me wrong, I love Langst, but Keith has so much angst potential, so if you see any good fics, hmu in the comments :) Alright, time to get into the story!

Coran had announced that they were having another bonding session today, which they all groaned about. The topic was to express your feelings when you found out what element each one represented.

Lance was eager to go first, and Keith rolled his eyes. He talked about how he and Blue were perfect together, as his lion represented water and its different forms. He explained how Blue reminded him of the blue ocean waters of his home in Varadero, which was how Keith learned Lance was Cuban.

Hunk followed his best friend, talking about he was happy when Allura told him his lion represented the ground because the ground made him feel safer than to be flying around in space.

Keith zoned out during Shiro and Pidge’s turns, although he remembered Shiro saying something about responsibility and leadership(classic), and Pidge saying something about her mom and plants. Before he knew it, it was Keith’s turn.

“It’s your turn, Keith,” Coran announced cheerfully. All attention turned to Keith and he squirmed under everyone’s gazes. He took a deep breath. He could lie. He could say that he was overjoyed when he connected to Red, that he adored the fiery heat that came from her. But some voice in the back of his mind told him that if he wanted to gain any trust from his teammates, he had to tell the truth.

“Uh, well,” Keith cleared his throat and wrung his hands. “When Allura told me that Red’s element was fire, I was...disappointed, I guess you could say? Kinda mad, too. ‘Cause I...um... I don’t like fire.” He said shyly. Everyone was silent for a moment. Keith vaguely realized that Shiro would probably be slowly piecing everything together, but even Shiro didn’t know everything about Keith.

“You’re saying you’re a wuss? Scared of a little fire?” Lance said mockingly.

_Yes, I am._ He pushed the thought away, and instead glared at Lance.

“I’m not a wuss,” Keith didn’t try to deny the other statement. He knew everyone had the burning question in their mind, Why, but Keith wasn’t one to talk unless directly spoken to.

And then Allura decided to ask the dreaded question.

“If I may ask, why are you scared of fire?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we witness a flashback, and Keith reveals something he doesn't mean to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> teehee. bet y'all loved the cliffy, huh? Anyway, I'm being nice since it's finally 2021, who will hopefully behave better than 2020. Love y'all sm and hope u have an amazing year!

When Keith was 7, his dad took him to the fire station so Keith could see what it was like. Keith had wanted to be a firefighter back then, just like his father. Everything was fine until the station got a call. There was a fire that needed fighting. Keith knew that his father had been counting on at least one other team being at the station to watch him, but alas, they were not. Keith’s dad had no other choice but to bring him to the scene. 

Keith had been more fascinated than horrified when he saw the burning house. His dad sternly told him to stay in the fire truck, but Keith was never one to listen.

  
Keith came closer to the fire, until he could see each individual curl of orange. He watched in awe, when a searing pain shot through his leg. He screamed. He was wearing shorts. One of the curls of orange wrapped around his lower leg, rendering it red and raw and useless.

  
His father had found him right after, so the flame didn’t travel all the way up his body. After that Keith didn’t want to be a firefighter, and his fear of fire slowly took hold of him.

  
Keith was snapped back into reality as someone tapped his shoulder. He clutched his lower left leg on instinct, where scars were still there to prove the horrifying incident.  
“I-uh-Sorry. Um, what did you say?” 

  
Keith looked up to see concerned faces, even on Lance’s, which was scary.

“It’s alright, Keith,” A heavily accented voice said. So Allura said something. “I just asked why you are afraid of fire,”

Again, Keith could lie. He could say that he’d always had the phobia since he could remember. Or that he just thought fire was dangerous. But the nuisance of the voice was back again, the voice which beckoned him to tell them the truth. The voice got louder and louder and louder, until-  
“I’ve been burned before. Badly. And my dad died in a fire.” Everyone stared at him in shock, and it took Keith a second to process what he’d just said. He clamped his hands over his mouth. He scrambled back, standing up. 

  
“Keith-”

  
But he was already gone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Langst appears, more Klance than intended happens(which is never a bad thing), and I need to change the tags.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't mind the grammatical errors that I'm sure you will find:D I'll probably edit later, but I just wanted to post first. Here's a longer chapter as redemption for last chapter's cliffy. :)

Keith had ran into his room and locked the door, and then cried for the first time in years. He knew all he was going to get was pity from everyone, what he least wanted.

He sighed when he heard the expected door knock, and buried his face into his pillow.

“Leave me alone, Shiro.” He said, cringing at his hoarse voice. 

“Okay, so don’t tell him this, but I think I’m way hotter than Shiro, so there’s no way you could confuse us,”

Keith groaned out loud. Lance McClain of all people was outside his door.

“Leave me alone, Lance.” He said instead, as if that would make him go away.

“Seriously, lemme in, Keith. Shiro wanted to come but I told him I could handle it, and he’s probably going to kill me if you keep crying.”

“I’m not crying!” It was Keith’s luck that his voice cracked.

“Look, man,” Something in Lance’s voice changed. His tone was softer, more serious. “I just want to help. I know I’ve been a jerk to you lately, and I just wanted to apologize.”

Keith stayed silent, and then sighed. He was probably going to regret it later, but he slowly unlocked and opened the door, making sure his bangs were covering his messy face first. Lance smiled at him, before pushing past him and plopping onto his bed. He patted the spot next to him, signaling Keith to come sit. Keith rolled his eyes and did so, closing the door behind him. 

“I admire you, Keith. For being able to tell the truth back there. Honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t let your pride get in the way. I wasn’t brave enough to tell the truth. I lied, Keith. And I don’t like to lie to the people I love.”

“What are you talking about?” Keith asked.

“When I was, I think 9 or 10, I went out to the beach by myself for the first time. We have a beach house, y’know, so it was safe and all. I loved water. The ocean looked so pretty, and Blue really does remind me of home, I didn’t lie about that. Anyway, I went out into the ocean, and don’t get me wrong, I was the best swimmer in the family, but while I was swimming, I saw this fish. And it was so beautiful with all these bright colors and stripes and spots and I just  _ had  _ to get closer to it. So I swam and swam, until I got caught in a rip current.” Lance paused to look at Keith, and Keith was amazed at the raw emotion he saw in Lance’s eyes.

“It was the scariest situation I have ever been in, to this day. I didn’t know what to do, so I yelled for help and tried to swim out of it. Worst. Idea. Ever. I still get nightmares on how I felt the water filling my lungs. Luckily my sister, Veronica, heard me somehow and saved me just in time. I nearly drowned, Keith.  I wouldn’t go to the beach for a solid year after that; I was so scared. And it tore me apart inside to be away from something I loved so much. And, sure, after taking a few forced therapy sessions and some swim lessons, I was back to dancin’ with the dolphins and flippin’ with the fish, but when I met Blue, she was so much like the ocean, that a tiny part of me was still scared. I was scared that maybe Blue was too much for me, and that she would swallow me up too and I would become nothingness, figuratively. But I got to know her, and I confided in her, and she confided in me. And now look at us, we’re inseparable!” 

Lance didn’t seem to know what to say, so it was silent for a second.

“I’m really sorry, Lance. I didn’t know about what happened to you.” Keith said, deciding that was the appropriate response, although he didn’t know what else there was to say.

“I should be the one who’s sorry. I was really insensitive back there, and well, I’ve always been insensitive I guess. But I shouldn’t have said what I said. And Keith, I want you to know that the team is here for you.  _ I’m  _ here for you. And we always will be, so you can tell us whatever you want, and we won’t make fun of you. Well, I can’t exactly promise that, but you know what I mean. If you let us, we can be your second family.” Lance said. Keith felt warmth bloom in his chest, filling a hollow space between his ribs.

But of course, Keith’s mouth had to slip up and ruin everything.

“You’d be my first family,” He muttered. Lance’s eyes widened, and Keith knew he’d screwed up.

“What do you mean? What about your mom? Or any siblings? Or aunts or uncles or grandparents?” Lance asked almost desperately. 

Keith sighed through his nose.

“I...don’t have anyone, Lance. My dad is dead and who knows where the rest of my family is. Even at the orphanage… none of the foster parents wanted me. Shiro’s the closest I have to a brother, but, I don’t know, it’s just not the same anymore.” Keith admitted.

Then Lance did something Keith didn’t expect.

Lance hugged him.

Lance  _ freaking  _ McClain was hugging Keith Kogane.

Could there be any other news headline that wouldn’t catch the eye of every being in the universe?

“I’m sorry, Keith. You’ve been so alone all this time, that you’re not used to this, right? Well, lemme promise you this: I will do everything I can to help you feel like our team is your family, okay? And I want you to promise you’ll try your best to trust us, okay?”

“Right,” Keith said, still slightly in a daze from the hug, which was definitely not the reason his cheeks were on fire.

Suddenly Lance turned his head, and leaned closer to Keith’s face. His lips parted as he leaned closer. Keith was sure he couldn’t have been redder.

“L-Lance? What?”

But Lance ignored him and their lips just barely brushed together(which was enough to set off a thousand electric sparks through Keith’s body, but no one needed to know that), when the door opened with soft mechanical whirring.

The two boys scrambled away from each other, as they looked up, both wincing at the expression on the person in front of them.

“ _ What _ is going on here?!”


End file.
